La Tavola organizes wine dinner regularly. I’ve been to a couple of them in the past. This time was a special occasion; a Michelin star chef was preparing the food. It was pared with wines from Frescobaldi imported to Thailand by BB&B.

Approaching the hotel lobby is always a relief; my senses get refreshed by the cool air. The décor and the lighting is also something that pleases the senses. A quick elevator ride to the 3rd floor, it gets warmer, La Tavola is on the left. The ambiance was very lively and the tables were full. I sat down, the waiter handed me a sparkling wine. After a quick chat with old friends and some new people, the first dish appeared.

Grilled squid and fried prawns with ginger and potato sauce; the fried prawn was nicely cooked and went very well with the sauce. The squid was a bit too bland for me. It was paired with Danzante pinot Grigio; beautiful light straw yellow with aromas of citrus and pineapples.

Home made burrata ravioli, vegetables, tomato sauce and basil; the ravioli tasted light which went along well with the perfectly cooked vegetable and made the vegetable the star of this dish. It went well with Pomino Bianco; a blend of mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco with notes of peach, banana and a buttery finish.

Risotto with red pepper, parsley sauce and anchovies; the color was appealing so did the taste, anchovies made the dish more complex and interesting. Though I wish there were more anchovies. This dish was nicely matched with Castiglione Chianti is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. Color is purple red with notes of strawberry, raspberry and a cherry aftertaste.

pan-seared red snapper on green pea sauce and grilled endive

For the main there were 2 options fish or beef. I went for the beef, it was a Braised beef cheek, tonka beans green apple puree and vegetables. The beef was very tender; it just falls apart in the mouth. The chef was careful with seasoning too much; he kind of let the ingredients do all the work. Again the vegetable were so delicate and wonderful.

Castello di Nipozzano was my favorite wine that night; it had a nice in your face berry notes and appealing tannins.

Even without the wine diner La Tavola has got to be one of those places I can come and never get bored it just has a vibe of warm and welcoming. Chef de cuisine Fabio Polidori does a great job in delivering fine Italian food.

Current: Editor of At-Bangkok.com, Managing Director at dp-Studio Co. Ltd.
Past: Lecturer, Instructor at School of Architecture King Mongkut University of Technology, Architect at RNL Architect, Architect at Roth Sheppard Architects
Education: School of Architecture Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand (B.Arch)
School of Architecture University of Arizona USA - School of Architecture University of Colorado, Denver USA (M. Arch)